I headed to Reculver this morning. There was a breezy south westerly wind with rain forecast. When I arrived Swallows and House Martin were streaming past going west. There were so many that I actually had no idea how to count them. They were passing in front of and behind me and in the end I admitted defeat with the counting and just enjoyed watching them. It is always an incredible sight to see so many birds starting out on their migration journey. Many were following the coast but some were going past way out to sea, others high up, others overland, and many were swooping after insects as they passed by. I was surprised to see some Swallows dipping down to the sea and appearing to take sips of sea water. I had not realised that they could drink sea water. I wondered if they just did not realise it was salty but I saw some birds drink more than once. I wonder therefore if can they tolerate sea water. 3 Pied Wagtail were up by the towers and as I came down onto the sea wall a couple of Stonechat were busy catching insects from the fence.
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| Stonechat |
A couple of Sandwich Tern flew east and a Little Egret was on the exposed mud near the pumping station. I had seen a 3 Robin on the rocks by the car park and had another couple on the rocks here. The tide was on its way in. I could see a few hundred Black-headed and Herring Gulls in the fields behind the oyster farm but it was only when a Peregrine went through and mass panic ensued with a mass of birds taking to the air that I could see that it was easily closer to a mixed flock of a thousand gulls, if not more.
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| Sandwich Tern |
A juvenile Mediterranean Gull flew east and a couple of Redshank were noisily calling from the oyster farm. A flock of 42 Ringed Plover with 10 Turnstone and 2 Sanderling landed on the shore. It was fun trying for some photos as they came into land. They were followed by a flock of 7 more Sanderling.
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| Turnstone and Ringed Plover |
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| Ringed Plover |
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| Sanderling |
As I headed along the sea wall the movement of House Martin and Swallows appeared to be slowing. There were two good sized flocks of Ringed Plover giving a total of 98 birds. This included the 42 already seen. They had been sent up by a Sparrowhawk flying low along the shore. The Sparrowhawk in turn was chased by a Carrion Crow who hassled it this way and that until the Sparrowhawk shot away over the oyster farm with the Carrion Crow initially in pursuit until it lost interest. A single juvenile Gannet flew east. A Common Buzzard flew over the oyster farm and was immediately hassled by two Carrion Crows and it finally had to beat a hasty retreat.
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| juvenile Gannet |
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| Common Buzzard and Carrion Crows |
Large numbers of House Martin started to pass though again, all heading west. 25 Linnet were also going west. A Greenshank was on the oyster farm and a small flock of Goldfinch were busily feeding on the teasal heads. A single Shelduck flew west.
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| Shelduck |
5 Stonechat were feeding on the shore as was a Wheatear. 35 Oystercatcher were on the shore and a couple of Grey Heron were chasing each other over the oyster farm. I stopped to watch the Stonechat for a while, something I always enjoy, as they are little birds so full of character.
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| Stonechat |
A young Starling that had partially moulted into its adult plummage was on the shore. I think they are very attractive birds when they are at the stage of still having juvenile plummage on their heads but adult on their bodies. I came across a high tide roost of a few Ringed Plover, Turnstone and Sanderling.
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| Starling |
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| Ringed Plover |
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| Ringed Plover and Turnstone |
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| Sanderling |
A Sparrowhawk came low along the shore again scattering waders, Linnets and Meadow Pipits in all directions. I tried for some photos as it came past and, though not great, I was very pleased to get them.
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| Sparrowhawk |
As I approached Coldharbour an immature Cormorant was on one of the posts and looked great in the light. 5 Little Egret were on Coldharbour together with a Redshank and several Black-headed Gulls. The Little Grebe was diving for food at the back and the Greenshank was back in its usual spot until it got spooked by a dog walker. A couple of Stonechat were flycatching from the back fence.
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| Cormorant |
I sat on the sea wall for a while but it remained pretty quiet out to sea. A 1st winter Black-headed Gull gave some very nice views as it came past and I saw another juvenile Gannet going east.
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| 1st winter Black-headed Gull |
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| 1st winter Black-headed Gull |
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| juvenile Gannet |
Swallow and House Martins were still coming through but much slower now. I tried for a photo of an obliging Swallow but did not do that well with it but it makes a nice memory shot. A few Sandwich Tern were going both east and west.
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| Swallow |
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| Sandwich Tern |
With the weather rapidly deteriorating I walked up to Chambers Wall. By the railway crossing a Pied Shieldbug nymph gave some nice views.
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| Pied Shieldbug nymph |
A Cetti's Warbler called and 2 Chiffchaff were calling away as I walked up the track. A Blue Tit pair and a Great Tit pair were busy feeding away and a Chaffinch pair flew in. Several Migrant Hawkers were on the wing and a couple of Common Darter. It really was a case then of rain stopping play as the light rain which had started and hadn't been too much of a problem promptly turned torrential. Though it had been a fairly quiet visit it had allowed some good views of what I did see and I had enjoyed it.
Birds seen this visit include: Swallows, House Martins, 5 Sand Martin, 3 Pied Wagtail, 5 Robin, 10 Stonechat, 11 Little Egret, 4 Kestrel, Cormorants, Black-headed Gulls, Herring Gulls, 10 Sandwich Tern, 28 Meadow Pipit, 2 Mute Swan, 1 Peregrine, 1 Dunnock, 32 and 25 west Linnet, 3 Redshank, 20 Turnstone, 98 Ringed Plover, 9 Sanderling, Starlings, 3 Skylark west, 16 Goldfinch, 1 Common Buzzard, Carrion Crows, 2 Sparrowhawk, 1 Gannet west, 2 Greenshank, 1 Shelduck west, 2 Magpie, 35 Oystercatcher, 2 Grey Heron, 1 Wheatear, 1 Little Grebe, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Blue Tit, 2 Great Tit, 2 Chaffinch
